If balance is something you’re working on or struggling with, then this is the post for you! Whether it’s tree pose, standing poses, lunges, or anything else, these 4 tips are key for finding balance in yoga.
Here are 4 tips to help nail your balance in your next yoga classes:
1. The Tripod Foot
When you’re struggling with balance, chances are you’re not evenly rooting into your foot. But what does that mean? Look for the big toe mound, pinky toe mound, and your heel – notice where you put your pressure and see if you can evenly distribute the weight of your body over those 3 points of the foot.
2. Your Hip Placement
Next time you’re in a tree pose or a high lunge, ask yourself where your hip is in space. Often times people who struggle with balance tend to sink into their outer hip. What this looks like is the hip shoots off to the side instead of being stacked over the ankle (or in line with the knee if it’s a lunge). Make sure you’re pushing into your foot and that should draw the hip underneath you more in a tree pose. In a lunge, try pushing your knee out and pulling your hip back and in – You’ll feel the change in your outer hip muscles.
3. Stacking
Stacking refers to where your pelvis, ribs, and head are in space. People typically lean forwards or back without realizing it in one of these areas. Try to make sure:
- Your outer hip is stacked over your outer ankle.
- Your ribs are stacked over your hips – not leaning forwards or back.
- And that your head is evenly stacked on top.
Another way of looking at this is to think of your pelvis like a bowl of water – try not to spill the water forwards or backwards. Your ribcage like a lampshade shining light directly down into your pelvic bowl – make sure the light isn’t shining forwards or back – even in the slightest. And then your head just stacks directly over the lampshade.
4. Your Muscles Need to Engage Correctly
Are you feeling your inner thighs when you’re working on balance? You should be. These inner thigh muscles help hold you steady and stabilize your pelvis.
Are you feeling your glutes? You should be. This also helps with pelvic stability.
And finally your core – this helps with core stability but also pelvic stability and will ensure that your stacking (#3) is correct.
Once your stacking is out of whack, your core will have a harder time firing, so if you’re struggling with feeling your core, go back to #3 (maybe ask a friend for help setting you up) and see if you’re stacked well.
Give these 4 tips a try and then let me know in the comments how your balance is feeling!
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